Chair's Introduction

Welcome to the Autumn edition of Nature News – and our
new-look electronic format,
linking you to the latest information on national and international
conservation.

I’m delighted to be able to tell you that Defra have reappointed
me as Chair of JNCC for a further three years. The last three years
have seen many challenges for JNCC and there are certainly more to
be faced in the future. In particular, since the last
issue of Nature News, the Spending Review has taken
centre stage and will have a major impact on our priorities and the
way we work. Exactly what it means for JNCC will become clear
shortly. Despite the difficult circumstances, JNCC continues to
make solid progress across a broad front thanks to the efforts of
our staff and our partner organisations.

I was very pleased to present a keynote speech at the
International Conservation and Management of Rivers Conference held
in York in September. A similar conference was held 20 years ago
and much has changed in the UK and the world since then –
economically, politically, culturally and scientifically. Alas, the
problems seen for some river systems 20 years ago are magnified
now. And yet there are also good news stories about the
cleaning of rivers and return of species, especially fish.
The message is that we have more to do and must build on these
successes to try and manage our natural world in a better way.

“Big Society” is the phrase of the moment and JNCC is ahead of
the game having championed this approach to biological data
collection for the last decade. Extensive networks of volunteers
gather grassroots evidence which JNCC links together to create
snapshots of UK and global biodiversity. The approach is explained
in this edition’s citizen science feature.

UK seas have been in the headlines recently with the creation of
fifteen new Marine Protected Areas. We’re proud of our input into
this work and our involvement in the publication of
Charting Progress
2, the largest and most comprehensive assessment ever
undertaken of animals and plants in UK waters and the pressures
that affect them.

Enjoy this e-edition and explore the links from these pages,
taking you to other useful information sources. Please feel free to
contact the relevant project managers about stories we’ve featured
this time around. And of course, if you would like to
email address: communications_[AT SYMBOL]_jncc_DOT_gov_DOT_uk (replace _DOT_ with full stop/period and _[AT SYMBOL]_ with the usual @ symbol), I’d be delighted to
hear from you!

Turning Tides for Waterbirds in the UK

The contrasting fortunes of the UK's wintering waterbirds are
highlighted in the latest data from the Wetland Bird
Survey of which JNCC is a partner organisation. The latest WEBs
report covers the winter of 2008/09 and documents the expansion of
four native waterbird populations in the UK, with Pink-footed
Goose, Svalbard Barnacle Goose, Little Egret and Avocet all noted
at record levels. In contrast, populations of six species reached
an all-time low point; Mallard, Pochard, Goldeneye, Red-breasted
Merganser, Ringed Plover and Dunlin have all declined by at least
20% in the last twenty years.

UK Biodiversity Indicators update

The 2010 edition of the UK
Biodiversity Indicators shows changes in the status of
species and habitats, pressures on them and responses to those
pressures. The indicators and National Statistics are produced by
Defra and JNCC on behalf of the UK Biodiversity
Partnership.

Nightingale Island Invaders

In this International Year of Biodiversity, co-ordinated
invasive species projects are being supported by
JNCC in the UK Overseas Territories. Nightingale Island, part
of the Tristan group of islands, has seen the removal
of alien vegetation by the local conservation team and bait
stations set up to ensure the island remains free of rodents as
their introduction would be devastating for birdlife and
biodiversity.

Breeding Birds Survey

The Kestrel, one of our most familiar birds of prey, has shown a
significant decline in numbers according to the Breeding Birds
Survey, partly funded by JNCC on behalf of the country
conservation bodies.

Reappointment of JNCC Chair

Dr Peter Bridgewater has been reappointed Chair of JNCC for a further three
years. The appointment took effect from the beginning of October.
Previous to his initial appointment in 2007 he held the post of
Secretary General, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

New beginnings in Aberdeen

JNCC Aberdeen has now relocated to its new office building in
the Torry area of the city. The new premises at Inverdee House are being
shared with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Scottish
Natural Heritage.

Conservation and Management of Rivers: 20 years on

Twenty years on from the first rivers conference, greater
integration of conservation with the management of river systems
was discussed by scientists from 20 countries when they met at
the University of York. The floods in Pakistan and Poland
were part of the programme, contrasting with the droughts and
dangerously low rivers in Australia and Pakistan. The cost to
populations if some or all of the ecosystem services supplied by
rivers were lost was also discussed. Papers from this conference
will be published later this year.

Website News

This issue of Nature News highlights most major additions
to the JNCC website and the articles provide links to them.
Other recent key updates are:

Latest SAC and SPA submissions

Thirteen new candidate Special Areas for Conservation (SACs) and two new Special Protection Areas
(SPAs) were submitted to the European Union in
August 2010. In area terms this represents the biggest ever annual
increase in the UK's Natura 2000 network.

Species designations update

JNCC has recently updated its collation of species designations.
This is available as a downloadable spreadsheet. This information
is now also accessible on the NBN Gateway - choose the 'explore
designations' option.